CO885-(6-7) — Page 417

REVISE 2.

Statement by Mr. W. H. Mercer.

422

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

I. PREVIOUS CORRESPONDENCE AND CONFERENCES.

The question of a direct cable between Canada and Australasia was first brought formally to the notice of Her Majesty's Government in a letter of the 29th of July 1886, from the High Commissioner for Canada. That letter enclosed communications from Mr. Sandford Fleming, and a memorandum certain gentlemen who had been requested by Sir C. Tupper to go into the question. These and other documents are printed in C.-5091/87 (Vol. 2).

At the Colonial Conference of 1887 the assent of the delegates was given to two resolutions proposed by Sir A. Campbell:

(1.) "That the connexion recently formed through Canada from the Atlantic by railway telegraph opens a new and alternative line of Imperial communication over the high seas and through British possessions which-promises to be of great value alike in naval, military, commercial, and political, aspects."

(2.) "That the connexion of Canada with Australasia by direct submarine telegraph across the Pacific is a project of high importance to the Empire, and every doubt as to its prac- ticability should without delay be set at rest thorough and exhaustive survey." (C. 5091, Vol. 1, p. 514.)

In January 1888 a Postal Conference was held at Sydney, at which all the Australasian Colonies were represented, and at which (New South Wales dissenting) a resolution was passed in favour of a survey of a suitable route, the cost to be defrayed by Great Britain, Canada, and the Australasian Colonies.

Shortly afterwards the South Australian Government intimated that they did not intend to contribute towards the coat of the proposed survey.

In the meantime, and independently of the recommendation of the Sydney Conference, the See corre spondence Admiralty informed the Colonial Office that it was intended to send H.M.S." Egeria" to survey printed in the islands and obtain deep soundings on the route between New Zealand and Vancouver. It was C-7553. explained that these operations would furnish gradually the preliminary information required.

About this time Great Britain began to take possession of a number of islands in the Pacific which

it was considered might be useful as landing stages for a cable. Particulars of these will be given under a separate heading.

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In 1892 the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom urged Her Majesty's p. 319 of Government to assist the project, observing that "commercial men

consider that the C-7558. establishment of direct telegraphic communication over British territory will not only be service- able in times of peace, but in times of alarm will reduce the risks to which their property on the high seas would otherwise be exposed, and high charges for insurance."

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The five possible lines of communication with the East and Australia at present existing have all the fatal defect of passing through possibly hostile countries, where they would be useless to us in time of war, or through shallow seas where the cables could be easily fished up and destroyed. With the establishment of uninterrupted communication across the Dominion, an alternative route is now made possible by the laying of a Pacific cable which would remove this defect."

C.-7558.

The Colonial Office in replying (15th November 1892) to this letter stated that " Her Majesty's p. 49 of Government are fully alive to the importance of the subject, and would gladly see an arrange- ment arrived at which would complete telegraphic communication between Canada and Australia by concerted action between the colonies concerned." The reply, however, went on to point out that a cable passing entirely through British territory involved a span from Vancouver to some such island as Fanning Island, and could only be constructed at great expense.

On the 3rd of December 1892 the Colonial Office consulted the Admiralty and General Post Office as to the practicability of laying a cable from Vancouver to Fanning, Christmas, Palmyra or Washington Islands. The Admiralty in reply enclosed a report written in 1887 by the Hydrographer, who expressed an opinion that the line would not pay commercially, and that its advantage in time of war would not be important, as the Fijis would be the only possession affected. The General Post Office stated that the probable route would he from Victoria, Vancouver Island, to Fanning Island, Fanning to Canton Island, Canton to Fiji, Fiji to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, and after specifying the composition which would be required to secure the "moderate working speed" of 12 words a minute, they estimated that the total cost would be about 2,924,100.; and they observed that it might well be doubted whether, with existing appliances, the Vancouver- Fanning section could either be laid or maintained.

These two letters were communicated confidentially to the Colonial Governinents, and the objections mentioned by the Hydrographer were substantially utilised in a despatch from the Marquess of Ripon, in which he conveyed the refusal of Her Majesty's Government to take steps p. 338 of for summoning a conference, as had been suggested by the Board of Trade, to inquire into the most C.-7558. feasible means of completing the telegraphic system of the empire.

NOTE. These letters from Admiralty and General Post Office were sent to the Colonies for the confidential information of Ministers, and were not published by Her Majesty's Government till after they had been made public in the Colonies.

O 92684.-Rep. 3, &c. 12.-11/96.

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